Tell Me Your Secrets
by forever.your.love
Summary: Cassidy doesn't know what to expect about her adoptive parents. In turn, they don't know what to do about her. There's something off about the Jacksons' and Cass is going to find out. Even if it risks spilling the fact that she's a mermaid...
1. Prologue

_**Alright,this is my first fanfic, so please go easy on me. I'd appreciate it if you leave a review and point out any errors, but if you at least read it, then that would be fine. It's short, but this is only the prologue.**_

_ Prologue_

_ Tell Me Your Secrets_

I've always been an outsider. Always. I guess nothing could change that. Maybe it's the fact that I was an orphan, but life had always been that way. Ever since I could remember, I'd lived in an orphanage in Australia. That was it from day one. Not anymore though. Right now, I was on a plane to Manhattan, New York. A couple had decided to adopt since this woman wasn't able to birth. The Jackson's, I think. I was pretty sure that I would be a reject. What with all the secrets I had, life would be hard.

But I was starting fresh. It couldn't be that hard to at least make _one _friend, right? Did I mention, though? I'm twelve years old; my name is Cassidy Williams, and I'm a mermaid.


	2. New country, New Life

_Chapter One_

_Meeting The Jacksons_

I was waiting at Manhattan Airport when I saw them. A lady with curly blonde hair and grey eyes was standing next to a man with black hair and green eyes. He was holding up a sign that wrote: _SSADIYC LLIWIAMS._ I wasn't sure what that read, but it definitely didn't say, _SELLING MUTATED CHICKENS. _Dyslexia got really annoying, sometimes.

I walked over to the customer service counter and pointed over to the couple. "Excuse me, but can you tell me what that sign reads over there? I'm sorry, I have dyslexia." The lady working behind the desk answered, "Oh, it says... Cassidy Williams." Thanking her, I grabbed hold of my suitcase and walked towards the couple.

I sure as heck wouldn't start running towards them like a lost child who just got found by his parents, so I took my time. It didn't take long to just walk over to them, though. When I got there, I tapped the man on the shoulder. "Umm...Are you guys the Jackson's, by any chance?'' I asked.

The man turned, and answered,''Yes, in fact we are! I'm pretty sure that your Cassidy, right?'' He seemed to be in his mid-twenties. Up close, his eyes were a pretty vibrant green, like the sea. He had a tan, and his hair was swept to the side, and looked pretty unruly. I turned my attention to the woman. She looked the same age. Her curly hair was swept in a ponytail, and her face was clear of make-up. She dressed simple, but was actually _really_ pretty. Her eyes had a stormy look to them, and they felt a little intimadating.

I glanced at their features again again, before answering, ''Yeah, I'm Cassidy. So, uh, your the Jackson's?'' _You already said that, IDIOT! _''Sorry, I already said that. I think it's the jet lag,'' I said quickly. Hopefully, I didn't seem like a weirdo, but I guess that was too late.

The lady smiled. ''It's fine, Cassidy. I'm sure your not expecting to call us anything formal, so he's Percy, and I'm Annabeth.'' Percy and Annabeth. The names fit, but Percy sounded familiar. I'd look it up later. We stood there in awkward silence.

''Well! I'm sure that you might want to take a nice bath, and get familiar with your new home, so let's get going!'' Annabeth said. I was about to grab my suitcase, but Percy took hold of it. ''I got it,'' He assured me. I followed them to their car, and we were on our way home. But I wouldn't accept it as mine so easily, yet.

- **OoO -**

When we rounded up to their driveway, I was pretty astonished. The Jackson Residence wasn't just a home. It was a mansion! Surrounding the manor were trees and fountains. Marble floors line their way up the driveway, leading to the door. Percy opened the door. ''After you,'' He offered. Mouth agape, I stepped inside. There were marble floors, here too. There was a large staircase, leading upstairs to another two levels.

''This place is amazing!'' I marveled. ''The architecture is, like, fantastic!'' I turned toward Annabeth, still looking around.

I was pretty amazed when she told me that she designed it.''Your into architecture?'' She asked.

"I never really looked into it, but it's pretty cool. I kinda suck at designing stuff, though,'' I told her.

''What are your hobbies, then?'' Percy asked.

''I like lots of stuff, but I suck at most, what with having dyslexia and all that junk.'' I answered. I noticed Percy and Annabeth exchange a glance, as if I just told a major secret about something. _I hate when people do that._

''You have dyslexia?'' Annabeth looked surprised, as if she didn't expect this. Well, at least she _knew_ what dyslexia was. It got pretty boring when you had to explain it to ignorant teachers; they never listened. Then you had to go over the process of being told off for getting distracted. ADHD never helped, either.

''Do you, by any chance, have ADHD?'' It was Percy's turn to ask. How'd _he_ know? I'm pretty sure it wasn't mentioned in my files that were set for them to look over. I made sure they weren't. (I got in trouble with Mrs. Carta for getting caught in her office, but it was worth watching the papers burn.)

''Umm...Can we talk about this another time? I'm tired." I was going to avoid those questions for all life was worth. It didn't matter what I had to do, but what if they thought I was a wierdo?

"Of course!" Annabeth answered. "I'm sure that your tired. Percy will show you to your room. I have to make a phone call." Percy guided me upstairs, to the first room on the left. He set my suitcase down by the bed. It was just a medium sized room with white walls.

''You'll have to excuse how plain it is. We were hoping to find out more about you so the room would make you feel more comfortable,'' Percy said.

''Hey,'' I assured him. ''It's fine. Thank you, though, for well, adopting me. It's been nice knowing you, so far." It was. I wasn't sure how long the feeling would last, though. What if they found out my secret? I'm pretty sure that they'd freak if they saw my tail. But I wouldn't worry about that, now. We'd just have to wait and see.

Percy left me alone. I took off my shoes, and, not even bothering to change my clothes, I jumped on the bed. I fell asleep before my head hit the pillow.

**Author's Note: Soo...How was it? Leave a review and let me know. If some of you noticed that there hasn't been much mermaid stuff, that's because I'm writing something big for the next chapters. Don't worry. Things are going to get MUCH better from here. **


	3. I Almost Learned How to Ride a Horse

Annabeth and Percy were already awake when I came downstairs. I smelled food cooking, but I'm not sure what kind though. It was what woke me up, but it took me awhile to find the kitchen. I had to go about five rounds around the house just to find it. When I found it, though, it, like every other thing in the rest of the house, took my breath away.

There where white walls, traced with silver. Cream colored granite lined the walls, a modern looking silver oven in the middle of the counters. A metal fridge sat against the wall, and glass windows were opened up to let some air in. When the wind wafted in, it smelt of the sea, and it was then that I looked through the windows. The beach was sitting right behind it, which meant that the Jackson's were probably oceanic freaks. I realized that it was going to be a_ lot_ harder than I thought to keep a secret.

Annabeth glanced up from her plate and smiled when she saw me. Percy was wolfing down some sausage and eggs, but it sounded like some kind of mutant monster was being attacked. I went to sit at the black and silver chair by the table with them, and Annabeth stood up.

"I'll get you some breakfast, Cass. I'm sure that you're starving by now," she said, walking over to the oven and grabbing a plate. I smiled at her as she walked past to indicate my thanks. I turned my attention to Percy.

"Are you sure that you're human?" I asked him as he continued to eat like a starved monster. _Gosh_, he needed to learn some table manners. Percy froze when I said that, and I wondered if I'd done something wrong. A piece of egg flew out of his open mouth, and that only triggered more of my confusion.

"Are you okay?" I asked him. "It's just that you eat like some kind of famished mutant thing. No offense, though, but you need to learn some table manners." I laughed, and Percy went back to eating his food, but he was less...enthusiastic. He seemed uneasy. Inside, I was thinking about what I just said. Mutant thing. That was exactly what I was.

"Cass?" A voice interrupted my thoughts. I blinked, then looked up. "Here's your breakfast. It's Greek food, so I'm not sure if you'll like it. It's an old recipe, though. Give it a try; I hope its not too bad," Annabeth said, placing a white plate lined with silver on the table in front of me. A fork was already beside it.

I smiled, looking at Annabeth. "It's fine," I assured her. "Besides, Percy seems to differ," I pointed out, nodding in his direction. He stopped eating, and scowled, but I payed no attention. Ignoring it, I picked up my fork and speared a sausage, taking a bite. It was spicy, with a hint of sweetness in it. I thought that was odd, but it was good nonetheless.

I ate more, then took a bite out of the eggs. They tasted like typical eggs, but it had that sweet taste in them, too. It tasted addicting. I'm not sure what Annabeth did to the food, but it was like the best thing I'd ever tasted! I'm pretty sure she added something, because I felt a little wierd. I'm not sure how, but I felt..._better_ in a way.

"This tastes amazing!" I told her. It was different, but it was a lot better than what they served at the orphanage. Annabeth seemed almost...relieved when I ate the food. She didn't seem that interested in my opinion about it, though. I wondered why.

Percy wiped his mouth with a napkin, then cleared his throat. "So Cass," he started, "Annabeth has work, so I was wondering if you'd like me to take you around. I was hoping we could go out to the beach, since we live right by it. There's a few sea caves just out by the shore. You have to swim a few yards, though, but it's a pretty cool sight when you get there.." he trailed off, but I wasn't paying much attention. The beach? Just outside? That couldn't happen, not so soon! I was _not_ sprouting a tail after not even a day in Manhattan!

"Actually," I started. _Think of a lie, think of a lie!_ "Could we do something else? I have a water phobia, and it gets pretty wierd when I'm near it. I hope that's alright with you, though.'' I was surprised that the lie came off so easily. I was getting better at this.

Percy seemed a little put off about my answer, but he accepted it. He looked a little awkward about it, though. His eyebrows furrowed up, and he slumped a little. "That's alright. I'll just take you on a tour of Manhattan. It'll be pretty chaotic if you don't know what's going on, but it'll be easier to get used to since we're homeschooling," he said.

Wait, homeschooling? I wondered if that would be a bad thing. Sure, there would be less people, and that meant less accidents, right?

"A tour would be awesome," I told him, faking a smile and brightening my face. He grinned back, but I wasn't sure whether he was fooled or not. I went back to eating my breakfast, and Annabeth and Percy started having a conversation about a schedule of some sort. It didn't take that long to finish. I put the dishes in the sink when I was done, and came back to sit at the table.

Annabeth stood up. "I have to leave right now," she announced. "I'm sorry that it's so soon Cass, but I have a lot of work to do," she apologized.

I told her that it was alright, and she smiled and walked out of the kitchen, grabbing her purse on the way. I heard the door close, and the sound of wheel coming out of the driveway. Percy and I sat at the table, an awkward silence between us.

''So..." he trailed. It seemed uncomfortable without Annabeth here, even though I haven't even known her for more than a day.

"Umm...What were you planning to do today?" I asked, trying to start a conversation. I brushed my dark brown hair out of my face.

Percy grinned. "Well, since you seem so bored, I decided that I'd save the tour for later. We'll be doing something _much_ more fun."

**OoO**

Percy led me out to the backyard. I thought we were going to be swimming, but he assured me that we weren't. I followed him further out, and we stopped right by a clearing of trees. I wasn't sure how trees were growing by the beach, but I didn't ask.

Percy turned to the woods, then raised a finger to his lips, indicating I should be quiet. I listened, mostly because I was curious about what was going on. He whistled, and everything seemed to turn silent.

I heard a clopping sound, then two blurs burst out of the trees; one white, and one black. When they stopped, I took a better look at them, and realized they were...horses. The sunlight reflected off of them, casting a sheen on their coats. I turned to Percy. How did two horses randomly jump out of nowhere because someone whistled? That just _didn't_ happen!

"Umm...How did you do that?" I asked. How _did _he do that?

Percy grinned, then walked over to the black horse. "I have my ways," he answered, swinging himself on top of it. Oh, _hell no._ Horseback riding? Without any safety stuff? Was he crazy?

I was about to protest, but Percy rode over to me. "You coming?" He asked, nodding over to the white horse a few feet away from me. I backed away slowly.

"Are we really doing this?" I whined. By the look on his face, yes.

He slipped off, then walked over to me. "It'll be fine, Cass," he assured. For some reason, I didn't believe him.

"I'm not getting on that thing!" I screeched. Percy seemed a little put off at my response. "I'm afraid of heights," I defended. He looked as if he dealt with someone like me, before, but I wasn't so sure.

"Cass, it'll be fine!" He repeated.

I crossed my arms. "How many times did you say that today?" I asked him, tiliting my head. He crossed his arms too, mimicking me.

"Fine."

He walked back to his horse, slinging himself on it. Clomping away, he called back, "Are you coming or not?"

I stared at his back in disbelief. He wouldn't leave me here, right? I wasn't taking any chances, so I shouted, "How do I get on?"

I could practically see his smirk before he even turned back.

Percy jumped off, and said, "Here." He started giving me a complicated set of instructions that I wasn't really listening to. ADHD didn't really help that, either. A flash had caught my eye, and I was pretty sure that it wasn't horse. There was something in the trees, right in front of us. It was behind the trunks, so it was partially hidden, but it was moving. I leaned over to get a better look at it.

''Cass, are you even listening?"

I snapped my head up. What'd he say? "I'm sorry," I apologized. "I got distracted."

Percy just gave me a reproving look, but continued on. "As I was saying, you have to push yourse-"

That was all he got out before a green scaled snake thing burst into the clearing and slammed into me, knocking me to the ground. My head hit a tree root, and the last thing I saw was Percy standing over me, holding something bronze, before it went black.


	4. AN

**AN:**_** Hey peoples! So, uh, I'm sorry about this, but I'm going on hiatus. Indefintely. Yeah, school's been giving me too much homework, and aside from that, I don't think this story's good enough.**_ _**I'll be replacing chapters and putting up new ones from time to time, but PLEASE don't expect me to have a full scale updating routine! (sorry 2coolwriter!) I'm planning on writing a new story,though. I'll write the plots, and could you leave me a review and tell me which two stories to write first? Thanks!**_

_**When the Gods Have a Council:**__** The Olympians are known for wrecking havoc all over Olympus when they have a meeting. This is the first time the PJO characters go to an official one. Will. They. Make. It. Out. Alive?**_

_**Interviewing the Titans**__**: Sure, eveyone's interviewed the main PJO characters, or just Kronos. But what happens when you interview the Titans? All of them. The whole shebang! ...Well, for instance, chaos. **_

_**Just Ask Her Out!:**__** Annabeth and Percy have been friends since high school. But Percy's kept a secret from her since middle school. He likes her. LIKE likes her. But he can't get the guts to ask her out. Will his friends come to the rescue, or will he be left to spend the rest of high school alone? **_

_**Trapped:**__** Rachel didn't want to be the Oracle. But she knew it was her destiny. Her fate. One day, though, it becomes too much. So, she runs away. But that won't stop her from giving prophecies. She's hidden from the gods, and no one is able to find her. Until then, Rachel is trapped in the form of an Oracle, and until she finds a way out, she can't escape.**_

_**Kill Me and Get Done With It**__**: I never wanted to live this life. But I guess every demigod wishes that, huh? Well, apparently I had the worst of it. Right now, it was the middle of the second Titan War, and I was being kept prisoner. I, Aliah Theing, the Nobody, was captured by Kronos. For what reason? Funny you should ask...**_

**So there you have it! Five plots! Please choose two and review! You don't know how much it'll mean to me. Anyway, keep looking for new chapters and replacement chapters at least every two weeks! Just don't count on it...So, anyway! Uh, bye! Oh, and...**

**R**

**RE**

**REV**

**REVI**

**REVIE**

**REVIEW**

**!**


	5. Bathtub

To say that I was freaking out when I woke up was an understatement. Well, sort of. I mean, of course I didn't start screaming bloody murder and running around in circles or anything, but you can't expect me to daisy perfect after some whacko incident. I felt really disoriented, which sucked for me. I tried to recollect what happened... I was pretty sure we were in the...forest? or something, so I would've expected to still be on the ground of the woods, but instead I was in my room, in my bed. Huh.

Sitting up, I reached to touch the back of my head, and sure enough, there was nice (not really) throbbing bump under my hair. I tried to get back to what happened again. Percy and I were in the woods, for sure, and he was trying to get me to ride a horse. Then I got...distracted? I don't know, but from that point on, everything seemed fuzzed off-I couldn't remember. Like in the movies, when an actor/actress lost their memory or something and everything seemed blurred out. Sorta.

Sighing, I waltzed (minus loosing my footage like three times due to dizziness) out of bed and into the bathroom linked to my room. Laying my hands on the counter and leaning on them, I looked up into the mirror. I looked _horrible_. My hair was tangled in various places, my eyes looked pretty worn down, and there was dirt all over me. No one seemed to be here so I toook this as a chance to clean myself up. I looked out the door really quick, to make sure no one was passing by, but then I saw that my bedroom door was closed. I still closed the bathroom door anyway, just in case.

I looked around. This bathroom was huge! There was a large shower with crystal-like jets attached to each wall that sprouted water at you from every direction. I doubted I would even use that though, due to my...issue. Attached to the shower was a giant-and when I say giant, I mean _giant_- white bathtub that with jets, too. But it still wasn't big enough to support my tail without me having to hang it over the edge. I'm not sure why, but my tail seemed to elongate when I transformed, about a foot longer than my usual leg length.

I walked over to giant jacuzzi/bathtub and turned both knobs, allowing the water to flow in. But then I forgot to plug the drain, which was a major downside for me. Sighing, I reached down and turned the plug to keep the water in, getting my hands wet in the process. Before I could even grab onto the edge of the tub, my tail snapped out and I started tipping over headfirst towards the floor. That wasn't even as long as five seconds!

Was it?

The sound of my tail slamming against the ground echoed throughout the bathroom, and I hoped no one heard. But then I heard Percy's voice call out, "Cass?" and one, no _two?_ pairs of footsteps making their way upstairs and I _knew _that luck wasn't on my side today.

Started: 7-20-2011, Finished: 7-22-2011

_**AN:**_** Soooo...how was it? Yeah, I KNOW I promised a chapter earlier than this, but I've been really busy. I'm already starting on the next chapter, though. I PROMISE. Oh, and I think I'm gonna make Cass a bit older, maybe 14 years old? Also, I'm gonna change the way her tail looks. If you've seen **_**Pirates of the Caribbean 4**_** and the mermaid tails on that movie then I'm pretty sure you have a pretty good idea what Cass' tail looks like. If not, I'll post a link to a picture on my profile soon, so you have an idea. Tell me what you think of this chapter and DON'T LOSE HOPE!**

**Whatever that means.**


	6. Hey, thereFred

_**IMPORTANT **__**AN**__** AT THE END-PLEASE READ!**_

**Percy POV**

I stared across the table to the god who just flashed in about a half hour ago. Apollo, who was leaning back on the leather couch, stared back cheerfully. I cleared my throat.

"Well...Apollo...thanks for helping Cass and helping me kill off those _dracanae_ and all...but do you mind telling me _why_?" All that we've gotten to so far was some pleasantries and greetings, and I wanted to know the _real_ reason he'd came here. The gods flashed in once in a while, to make sure 'things were going smoothly,' (whatever that meant) but the last visit was about two weeks ago; from Hermes. Usually the visits lasted only a few minutes, and the gods only came every few months.

"Well, Percy!" Apollo started. "I was just strolling on Olympus, _really_ bored-nothin to do! Well, I _did_ flirt with a few nymphs and-"

"Milord?" I cut him off.

Apollo cleared his throat. "Right," he said. "_Sorry._ Anyway, there was really nothing to do, so I decided to give you and Annabeth a visit-Artemis was on some monster hunt and wouldn't allow me to come help her, but I had to do _something_, 'ya know?" I nodded and opened my mouth to say something, but Apollo cut me off.

"So!" he continued. _Oh gods._ "You weren't in the house, but then I heard some yelling by the forest and flashed there! Then I saw your new daughter passed out on the ground, you fighting off a buch of monsters and _had_ to join in the fun!" He rambled. Then he paused, looking up. "And might I just say, you have a _beautiful_ daughter! Mind telling me her age, Perce?" He asked, a suggestive glint in his eye.

I shook my head, and before I could even ask why, we heard a soft thud coming from upstairs, followed by an _"Ow!"_

"Cass!" I called up. "You okay?" No answer. Apollo and I looked at each other, before we both stood up and climbed up the stairs.

**Cass POV**

This was not good. At all. I was in a position where I was lying on my back next to the bathtub, supported by my elbows, with my fins propped up on the door.

"Hey!" I heard Percy's voice call. "Are you in there?" I'm pretty sure my shuffling had answered because I heard him say, "We're coming in." _We're?__** Oh snap.**_

I looked frantically around the room. _WHAT AM I SUPPOSED TO DO?_ I screamed silently. Then I spotted the closed door and cursed at myself for being so stupid to keep it unlocked. Too bad I couldn't just freeze the door or something...or could I? Almost laughing in giddiness, I stretched my hands out towards the knob, and almost instantly, ice had formed over most of it. Which gave me plenty of time to search for a towel. I _could_ evaporate all the water, but without any open air, the smoke would just turn back into water and rain down on me.

I heard the door shuffle, before hearing an exclaimed, "_Ow!"_ through the door. I smirked, before seeing a blue towel folded on the counter. I tried to reach up, but my tail weighed me down. _Funny how light it is underwater_, I thought to myself. Biting my lip, I grabbed the edge of the counter, dragging myself up. When the towel was within my reach, I snatched it, then quickly dropped back down. Which, frankly, caused _another_ thud. Just then, I heard the door rattle.

I looked up, and saw the the door open a few inches. Before it could open any further, I flicked my fins, causing the door to slam. Surprised yells could be heard from the otherside of the door. I refroze the doorknob.

"Umm...I'm doing something!" I horribly lied, quickly patting down my tail.

"Cass, _let us in!_" Percy yelled. _Oh, forget this! _I threw the towel to the side. Extending my hand over my tail, I slowly clenched it into a fist, and in a matter of seconds, my tail shrunk back into my legs, and my clothes reappeared. I looked up, and saw that clouds of steam had already collected near the ceiling, already condensed, and was about to rain down on me. Before it did, though, I put my hands, palms out, over my head, reflexively. Not that it helped. But then, I noticed that it wasn't...'raining...' Looking up, I saw that the water had floated over me like an umbrella. **(AN: If you don't understand, she's using Cleo's power.)** Oh. I couldn't think of that _before_. I moved my hand, and 'threw' the water into the bathtub, careful to avoid any splashes.

Just then, the door broke open and I saw Percy and some blonde guy burst in. I had to admit, that took longer than I thought it would, for them to break in. They both looked as if some monsters were attacking, but it was 'just' a bathroom. "Gee," I muttered, "hysterical much?"

"What was all that noise?" Percy asked, peeking around. The blond guy just picked up the blue crystal necklace I put next to the sink this morning, and I walked up and slapped his hand away.

"Don't mess with that!" I scolded, snatching back the necklace. I put it in my pocket. He looked up, and I saw something flash in his eyes, before it disappeared. He opened his mouth to say something, but I heard Percy suck in a sharp breath, then turned to see him giving me a reproving glare. I shrugged indifferently.

Then I said, "You know, I was _about_ to take a bath, which was very much disturbed, but now I feel hungry!" I decided. "Why don't I tell you the story over lunch?" I looked at the two, before dancing out the door, leaving them to follow me.

**oOoOo**

We were at the kitchen table, eating some more Greek food. Well, I was, the other two were just staring at me strangely. Every so often I would glance up and see one of them looking at me before turning away. It was _creepy_. I didn't explain anything to them yet, since they were both doing something, but I ignored the blond guy for the most part. Stranger. Percy was talking on the phone with someone, and the other guy, _Fred_, was listening to something on his Ipod. I wish I had mine, but it accidentally got dropped into the beach and stopped working._ Oh well_. When I finished eating, I stood up and cleared the dishes away.

When I got back, Percy stood up from his chair. He rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly, looking like a young teenager. "Ummm...sorry to say, Cass, but I gotta leave," he told me. I tilted my head, silently inquiring why. "One of my old..._professors_ needs my help doing something for him," he explained, pocketing his phone. "You can't come, and as much as I'd like for you to explain all the noise you caused earlier, it'll have to wait for dinner. I'm sure Ap-_Fred _has to leave soon, so is it okay for you to stay here alone till I come back?"

I opened my mouth to ask when that would be, but Fred cut me off. "Actually, Percy," he interrupted, flashing me a bright smile. His teeth were so bright they hurt to look at. "I would be more than glad to-uh- _babysit_ Cass for a while and maybe give her a little tour of Manhattan!" he offered cheerfully.

Percy looked at him as if he grew another head or something, but then I cut in, "Umm...I'm fifteen-_almost_ sixteen! I can take care of myself!" But Fred had already pulled Percy over and started speaking to him quietly. Too quiet for me to hear. I just waited for them, leaning back on the counter, studying my nails. Not to sound bratty, but I wanted alone time! If no one was around, then that would give me plenty of time to swim around in the beach they had out back, and I missed swimming.

My thoughts were interrupted when Percy sighed. I looked up, and he said, "Alright, Cass! Apollo's gonna show you around Manhattan and take you back here at about the time I come home, okay?" He asked, walking over to the counter and grabbing a set of car keys. He seemed to be in a hurry.

"When are you gonna be back?" I asked him as he started walking out towards the door. "Somewhere around six o'clock!" He called back. I looked at my watch. It was two-thirty! I opened my mouth to say something, but I heard the door slam shut. _Geez._

Sighing, I walked over to a chair and leaned against it's side, still standing up. I crossed my arms. Fred was sitting in a chair across from me, listening to his Ipod again. _So much for '__**babysitting.**__' _I got a good look at him. He had peircing green eyes, messy blond hair, and a pretty nice tan. He was hot, I'll admit that, but had this annoying air of arrogance around him. I kept staring at him like that. _Well? Aren't we gonna do something? _My stare screamed. He just turned off his Ipod and gazed back.

_Awkard silence._

_**AN:**_** WELL! That was an extra long chapter to make up for the hiatus-the other one was really short. Yeah, I changed Cass' age. I'm not sure why though. Just felt like it, I guess. But I'm running out of ideas for the story. Here's what I have so far:**

**A) Make Cass have a romance with someone- just tell me your choice of the person in a review and I'll pick. (or should that be for a sequel?)**

**B) Have someone find out she's a mermaid and keep it secret.**

**C) More monster attacks? (but when she's all alone with no one to help her-hehe.)**

**D) YOU tell ME what you want me to write. Leave it in a review, and I'll consider.**

**So that's basically it. Leave a review and tell me what you want me to do-A, B, C, or D? Have a good life and-REVIEW!**

**Please?**


	7. Babysitting Begins

_Look-away-look-away-look-away-look-away-look-away- look-away-_

I glanced up at him. **Stare. **It didn't work.

What time was it now?

Oh, right. Time to leave.

I pushed myself up from the chair and walked away from the table. Now, if only I could find the way to my room again..

"Hey, Cass, where 'ya going?" Fred called out from the table.

"My room," I answered. Better than suffering this awkward situation.

Fred rebutted, "But I was going to take you on a tour!" Tour my _scaly-fish-butt_. "Wouldn't you like to see the beauty Manhattan has to offer? Home to crazy, outrageously rude New Yorkers, clogged streets, polluted rivers, and toxic air! Sounds nice, huh?"

_This_ is where I was going to live for the rest of my life? I turned around to face him. Fred was seated casually on the chair, hands resting at the back of his head. He flashed me a grin with his brilliantly shiny teeth."...You're kidding. I thought Manhattan was a tourist spot!"

Fred shrugged. "You win some, you lose some. Postcards just don't show it all, do they? But I'll let you in on a little secret."

Hmm..? I leaned in. "What is it?" I asked curiously.

"The Empire State Building. Ever heard of it?" He didn't wait for me to answer. "The finest building of New York. They don't really offer tours at this time of year, but I've got connections. I know the place, so I can give you a special tour, if you want." He winked at me.

I thought about the offer. The Empire State Building, huh? Well, I _had_ heard of it before. Tallest building in the United States, or something like that. Sounded better than visiting the toxic rivers here, for one thing. And I doubted that I would be doing anything better than roaming around the house the entire day..

I looked up. "Umm...okay," I agreed. "Let's do it, Fred."

Fred grinned. "Thought you'd never ask...Cass, is it?"

I nodded, offering a smile.

"Well," Fred started, pushing himself up from the table. "Might as well go now. Don't want to get caught in rush hour and all, you know?"

I glanced at the silver clock hanging on the wall. _2:40_. "What time does rush hour start?"

Fred walked out of the kitchen and to the front door in long strides. I had to run to catch up to him. He opened the door for me to walk through, then shut it closed and locked it with a key I presumed Percy gave him.

"Since the day started," Fred remarked casually, as if mentioning the weather. "Sweetheart, you're in New York, now. It's _always_ rush hour."

...Oh.

"I parked my car out front. It's not in the driveway, so we'll have to walk a little to reach it," he informed. I nodded.

We walked down the cobblestone path and across the mosaic driveway. I took a chance to look at it-it was the picture of a glittering grey owl holding what looked like a shiny giant fork in its talons. The background was made up of multicolored stone tiles. They glimmered like rainbows every time the sun hit them. The whole picture was beautiful, but definitely a little outlandish.

"Interesting picture, isn't it?" Fred said. Did he notice me looking at it?

"Yeah..." I answered, studying it again. "Maybe a little...weird." We continued walking again. This driveway was huge.

Fred laughed, throwing a warm arm over my shoulders. I tried to discreetly shrug out of it, but if he noticed, he didn't let on. "You should ask Annabeth and Percy about it. I'm sure you'll appreciate the...symbolism of it."

What the heck did that mean?

Before I got to ponder this any further, a bright red flash hit my eyes. _Gahh! _I covered them with my arm, wincing.

"Oops, sorry. I forgot to mention the effect my car had on people. You'll get used to it," I heard Fred say, cheerful overtone blending into my ears.

I groaned. "That was your car?!"

"Yep!" Fred exclaimed, giving me a large clap on the back, which sent me tumbling forward. I could totally _see_ his flashy grin. "It's the glare. But the sun's not out anymore, so I think it's safe for you to open your eyes now."

Unable to trust his judgement, I peeked out from under my arms, and this time, the light didn't blind my eyes. I straightened out. _Jeez, first it's his teeth, now it's his-_

"Whoa." My mouth dropped.

Fred's car was smoking **hot. **I had no idea what kind of car it was, but it was an expensive sports car, for sure. It shined a dazzling bright red, like fire. And I was pretty sure it sizzled. Like eggs cooking on a burning sidewalk.

Wait a minute-was it...was it..._glowing?_

"Cassidy, darling, you'll get flies."

"..."

* * *

_List of Things to Know About New York_

**Number One: **Rush Hour _a.k.a _12 A.M-12 P.M = Nightmare.

Once Fred had driven his sweet ride into the suburbs, we hit traffic right away. Almost simultaneously, you could hear the blaring sounds of car horns and cursing New Yorkers invade the windows.

Fred had put his golden headphones in once again, and I was pretty sure he was jamming out to some bogus 80's song, like the music they play in elevators.

Looking around the street through the window, I saw that this was _nothing_ like home. Talk about a change. All you could see around here was concrete _city._Buildings, taxi cabs, buildings-hmm...that was virtually it.

"How long is this gonna take?" I groaned, burying my head in my hands.

Fred glanced my way, then took off one of his earbuds. "Couple hours?" He shrugged, before putting it back on.

I narrowed my eyes. Was he even _listening to music?_

I leaned toward him, before yanking out his earbud and putting it in my ear, ignoring his protests. _Nothing. _

"You aren't even listening to anything!" I shot him an accusatory glare. _You should learn how to keep teenagers company._

He crossed his arms, something dangerous flashing through his green eyes. "And you should learn some respect."

Well, crap. Did I say that out loud? If I didn't know any better, I'd think he read my mind.

"..." I looked away awkwardly. Oops...

"..."

"Sorry," I mumbled.

"Apology accepted!" Fred smiled, shaking his unnaturally blond hair and then leaning back against the driver's seat. _What was that?_

He sighed loudly. "Aren't you bored?"

Yes. Yes, in fact, I was. Sitting in a car for half an hour doing absolutely nothing tends to do that to you.

"I know what'll make this better!" Fred declared. He reached over to his stereo system and pushed a control button. A soft guitar ballad started playing with some guy crooning about his love life in the background. "_Music._" He winked one of his bright green eyes.

I was already starting to have a headache. I leaned back and closed my eyes. Corny as it was, I'll admit-the song wasn't half bad.

"You know, Cass? It'll be a long ride. Might as well get some sleep." Fred's up-beat voice invaded my senses, but I swear as soon as he said that, my senses started to dull.

Before I knew it, I was out.

**Apollo POV**

Apollo glanced down at the sleeping girl. She needed to learn some manners, he thought. She reeked of the sea-like Percy. But something about her scent- it was...weird. Didn't Percy mention that she had a water phobia? Then why did she smell so...fishy?

Apollo's eyes narrowed. Many would say he was light-hearted, but he _was not_ a fool. There was something off about this girl.

Water phobia, huh? Only one way to find out.

**AN:**

**IM SORRY-IM SORRY-IM SORRY...! x1,000,000**

**Hey, guys. I know. You have every right to beat me, but-I guess I've just been caught up with life, you know? I hope you liked this chapter, and I hope my writing improved! Please review with any critiques or feedback you feel about the story. :) **

**Love you guys, thank you for the support, and I'm sincerely sorry for the hiatus. Next chapter will come soon enough, promise. I guess this crappy hiatus is now OVAA!**

**Hehe, see you guys next chapter. **


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